Fluorescence spectroscopic study of alpha-chymotrypsin relevant to the enantioselectivity for optical resolution of amino acid esters in organic solvents.

The fluorescence emission wavelength of alpha-chymotrypsin (CT) correlated with its enantioselectivity (E value) for the resolution of DL-tyrosine ethyl ester. The changes in the E value of the CT due to the changes in the solvent composition were closely related to its fluorescence properties (delta lambda(em)), which were most probably associated with the structural modification of the enzyme. A linear relationship was established between E value and delta lambda(em) in aqueous acetonitrile with high correlation coefficients (r = 0.94).